Women in Chocolate

The Female Cocoa Pioneers in a World Dominated by Men

Although women have been at the heart of chocolate for centuries, it is often forgotten that they were instrumental in shaping the industry.

In this post we will explore women’s role in chocolate from cocoa farmers to craft chocolate makers and how these women are now shaping the future of bean to bar chocolates around the world.

This blog post is a tribute to those women who work tirelessly behind-the-scenes and whose contributions are not always acknowledged or valued enough.

In this blog post, the women at the heart of chocolate are not sugar-coated.

We will explore how women often work harder than men to break into these male dominated industries and what they have overcome in order to do so.

We’ll also look at some of the women leading the charge in the growing bean to bar chocolate space in Thailand.

A recent study by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) found that women make up around 40% of cocoa farmers in West Africa. And they are the majority, making up 57%, of bean-to-bar chocolate makers worldwide.

A similar figure is also true of Thailand with many of the pioneering craft chocolate brands coming to market are led by women which include Xoconat, Kad Kakao and our very own Anarchy Chocolate..

We will explore the history of women in chocolate and the enormous contribution women make to chocolate today.

The Delicious History of Chocolate and Women

What does chocolate mean to you? Is it a guilty pleasure, a healthy treat or maybe a romantic gift?

For most of us, it’s all these things with a side order of sensuality.

Chocolate is said to have originated in Central America over 2000 years ago and was first discovered by the Aztecs who were conquered by Spaniards that introduced chocolate to Europe as early as 1519.

Columbus himself brought back a few beans from his voyage to present day Honduras where he encountered cacao trees on Guanaja Island off the coast of what today are called Belize or Guatemala.

The word “chocolate” derives from “xocolatl“, which translates into bitter water; fortunately for many people this dark drink retains its seductive qualities even after centuries have now passed!

The production and marketing of chocolate has been transformed over the last 100 years. Despite this, one stereotype has held strong: that chocolate is inherently a feminine product. This belief is so ingrained in our culture that it has become difficult to shake.

However, chocolate was first popularised by the upper-class women of Europe and North America and given as a dowry commodity to daughters on their marriage or when they became engaged.

Chocolate eventually found its way onto the shelves of shops all across nineteenth century London where Queen Victoria famously ate it with her breakfast every day! (As do we in the form of cocoa nibs and chocolate tea.)

In recent years there have been many marketing innovations made for women including pink packaging and smaller morsels for women who don’t like filling up.

Marketing Seduction

Advertising has long positioned chocolate as a cure-all for feminine romance and relationships. What we see in shop windows and on TV screens every day is not just a chocolate bar, but an opportunity to reaffirm our sense of self.

Women who make craft chocolate have resisted the idea that women need ‘chocolate for women’ – marketing seduction from big global brands which are eager to profit off this demographic.

In fact, many small-scale bean to bar makers credit their customers with suggesting new exciting inclusions or flavours such as durian, chilli mango and Tom Yum.

The lack of national advertising campaigns allow women to really enjoy chocolate for what it is: a complex and delicious product.

Chocolate for Women

In the past decade, women have begun making their own brands of chocolate which they are championing as ‘chocolate for women’.

Some claim that this marketing campaign has been successful on an unprecedented scale, but others say there isn’t enough data to support these claims.

What is clear is that female-led craft chocolatiers have grown exponentially since 2008 – with nearly all new artisanal bean to bar makers being led by a woman! This trend shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.

Women Coco Farmers

Women farming cocoa in Africa earn very little, often less than a dollar a day. This has slowly been changing with education and more Fair Trade initiatives.

With more funding opportunities coming from both private foundations and government agencies, we can expect better returns and working conditions for these subsistence farmers.

Women Chocolate Makers

Meanwhile, women chocolate makers are on the rise, but a lack of access to education and capital often means that these women don’t have enough resources to scale their business.

The Future of Bean to Bar Chocolates

The women at the heart of chocolate history and its future are shaping how we eat, taste, think about, and buy chocolate today.

Without them our world would be a much less sweet place!

But with more interest and support for craft chocolate companies that could change in the near future.

About Anarchy Chocolate

Katae has been the driving force behind Anarchy Chocolate and has recently been joined by her sister Karok. These two women in chocolate continue to drive innovation, build the brand and will also soon start to dry and ferment cocoa from other local Trat farms.

Growing and supporting the cocoa community of farmers and artisan chocolate makers is a high priority for these two women in chocolate.

Visit this blog regularly for new updates and special offers.

Show your support by visiting the Anarchy Chocolate store here and here.

Women in Chocolate